The Packers’ third round pick of Montravius Adams should come as no surprise from a philosophical standpoint. The Packers have constantly reminded fans how important the big guys are and that you can never have too many of them. Thompson likes to pick big guys early too but the need in the defensive backfield was greater yet again which was reflected in the picks. But Adams will have an opportunity on a team that has LeTroy Guion and also only has Ricky Jean Francois under contract for a year. Here is what I expect to see.

What Adams brings

Adams has been labeled an underachiever and his body-type comparisons with Khyri Thornton cannot be seen as a positive. But he came into his own in 2016 earning second team all-conference honors in the SEC. Adams had 8.5 TFL’s and 4.5 sacks as a defensive lineman. In the Packers’ system, I see Adams as getting time on the field right out of the box. The Packers like to rotate the big men to keep them fresh (remember last year when Mike Daniels got taken off the field…I think he fixed that but as for the other guys…you know) and Adams will see a LOT of playing time in the preseason. If he shows he’s motivated, Adams could become a solid rotational guy right off. The Packers coaching staff need to make sure that he is motivated but what is better motivation than having staying power, making some good money, and possibly getting a Super Bowl ring.

At 6’3″ and 304 pounds, Adams gets exceptionally low out of his stance (low man wins) and is quick into the neutral zone. In the Packers scheme pushing the pocket is the paramount responsibility for D-linemen and as a two-gap guy, Adams’ flexibility will help. That isn’t to say that he doesn’t have work to do because he does. He needs to get his eyes up, work on his punch, and get better at disengaging from blocks. Also, the motivation factor comes in. But in a room with Mike Daniels, Kenny Clark, Ricky Jean Francois, and LeTroy Guion that shouldn’t be a problem. Mike Daniels has begun the transformation of the Packers D-line to a nasty band who talk and back it up….Adams will get on board with that.

How the Packers will use him

With Daniels, Clark, Jean Francois, Lowery, and Guion in the mix, the Packers have the ability to let Adams grow as a player. I think he sees plenty of time right off the bat, with the suspension of Guion in play. He also will get a ton of reps in the pre-season as the Packers will keep the vets off the field as much as possible to preserve their bodies. So Adams is set to get serious reps from the pre-season through the first four weeks as a significant part of the rotation. That will be key. If Adams performs, he will buy more reps. By the way, I think Christian Ringo’s time in Green Bay may be ending. But regardless, and depending on how many DT’s the Packers want to keep, Adams has a chance to be a good rotational player and maybe…develop into more.